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Recipe: Fleischschnaka – Alsatian pork and noodle rolls

Mijune - Friday, October 9, 2015

Recipe: Fleischschnaka – Alsatian pork and noodle rolls

Yukon - Takhini Lodge Northern Lights Scenery (12)Fleischschnaka (Takhini River Lodge Alsatian rolls) with gingerbread spiced cranberry sauce.

Fleischschnaka (Alsatian noodle rolls) may sound like a German dish, but it is a regional specialty in Alsace, France, which has German influence.

Fleischschnaka is a very rare Alsatian dish to find outside of Alsace. They are referred to as noodle rolls, or “meat snail” (literal translation), and the noodle part has the texture of spätzle and doughy chewy crepes.

Traditionally the rustic dish is made from leftover stewed meats and noodle dough rolled into a snail shape (roulade) and served as an appetizer. The meat can be oxtail, pork, duck, veal, or chicken, and in this case I used ground pork. It is apparently comfort food in Alsace and one of those recipes every mother knows how to make.

Considering most of the authentic recipes for Fleischschnaka on the internet are French, I asked Christiane from Takhini River Lodge (where I first tried it) if she could kindly share her recipe for Fleischschnaka, and she did!

Fleischschnaka (Alsatian pork and noodle rolls)

Serves 6 as an appetizer course.

Ingredients

Noodle dough:

  • 2 cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp salt

Filling:

  • 800g lean ground pork
  • 1 chopped medium onion
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1 cup parsley minced
  • ½ tsp toasted cumin seeds
  • Butter and chicken stock for the frying pan

Method

  1. Whisk the eggs, add salt and pour into the flour.
  2. Mix all together with a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or by hand until the mixture is uniform.
  3. Using a rolling pin and minimal dusting flour, roll out the dough to a thickness of ¼ inch.
  4. Mix the filling mixture raw and spread it in an even layer (¼ to ½ inch thick) over the dough and roll into a log.
  5. Plastic wrap the log and refrigerate. Before cutting into slices, freeze the log for about one hour, so it will be easier to slice.
  6. Preheat the frying pan with butter and add the slices.
  7. Brown the slices on both sides and add the chicken stock to cover.
  8. It’s ready once the bouillon is evaporated and meat is thoroughly cooked. Serve it warm with greens.